The Implication
by 90TheGeneral09
Summary: A typical Friday night for Brad Huff, the most popular senior at Iroquois High School. Inspired by user calgabriel's comments on Brad Huff as a character. Zero Day's 49th story as of the time of posting on 2-16-2019.


**The Implication**

**XX**

* * *

**A/N: Brad Huff is probably the most underrepresented "Zero Day" character besides Rachel Lurie, and by far the most important one who does not appear on-screen. We as the viewer know nothing about him beyond comments made by Andre Kriegman and Calvin Gabriel, who are hardly the most objective source. From what they say, it does seem that Brad has more money than either of them, drives a Range Rover, is on the wrestling team, and is more popular, more athletic, and more successful with girls than Andre or Cal are. In the summer of 2018, a user called calgabriel and myself were exchanging messages about the movie and some of its much-overlooked secondary characters.**

**So eventually, as tends to happen, I got the idea for a story and I began writing things down. This story is intended to give us a look at what Friday night in the 12****th**** grade was usually like for Brad Huff. I credit calgabriel fully for inspiring me to write this story. He has only written two stories, both of them for "Zero Day" but if you go and read them, I promise, you will not be disappointed.**

**XX**

* * *

Megan Donner had been hoping against hope that she'd get a date with Brad Huff- the Brad Huff, thank you very much- for more than a year. He was the hottest guy at Iroquois High School according to literally everyone. Guys envied him and tried to be just like him. Girls wished he would look their way, flash one of his dazzling smiles, ask them out on a date.

It was so unlikely to happen. Most girls never got asked. Brad was so busy with football and wrestling and club ice hockey and everything- and everyone- he was doing. Some girls honestly wondered how he even stayed sane sometimes, as much as he had to do.

The fact that he had to be one of the hottest boys in the history of time probably helped.

And he had asked Megan if she wanted to go out with him.

Today.

In front of his whole entourage of friends. And practically the whole cafeteria.

There were at least a dozen of them surrounding him at any time. Ranging from sophomores to seniors, and even the occasional bold freshman who impressed him, they laughed at any joke he made, agreed with anything he said, and were always trying to one-up each other and become Brad's new favorite.

And when Brad had walked up to Megan just as she was coming into the cafeteria with a few of her friends, it seemed like the whole place had gone quiet and time stood still. He'd said, "Hi." She'd said, "Hi."

"You got any plans tonight?" Then he laughed, as if at himself. "Oh, who'm I kidding? Of course you do, right?"

"Well-"

"But, if something opens up…" Brad raised his eyebrows, and his whole crew of buddies laughed. Megan had blushed crimson.

"I got some time around 6," she said, managing to look up at him hopefully.

"Let's do 7," Brad replied. "I gotta go to the gym and then go swim first. Then I'll come for you."

More laughter from all the guys hanging around him, and to be fair, all the girls, too. Everyone was looking at them now. The influential, popular, super-athletic Brad Huff, those stunning, suntanned biceps, those broad shoulders, those thick pectorals pressing against a turquoise polo that was at least one size too tight for him. And the pretty 11th grade cheerleader girl, staring back at him, not sure what to even say.

"So is that a yes?" Brad asked, amusement plain on his face. "It's okay, I don't bite." He paused. "Unless you want me to."

Even more laughter. Some of his pals were barely keeping it together.

"I'd love to," Megan blurted out, smiling at him. "Really!"

"Okay, great," Brad said, that charming smile still on his face. "Don't forget, 7. You're still on Hollow Lake Drive, yeah?"

"Yep- uh, yes. Yes, I am."

"I'll be there at 7. Look for the black Range Rover."

Megan had coasted through the rest of the day, then gone home to shower, spend an hour in front of the mirror, another hour trying to decide what to wear, and then the remaining time in the living room, looking out the window, breathlessly waiting.

**XX**

The date hadn't exactly gone the way Megan had imagined. They'd gone to see a movie, sure, but Brad kept leaning in for a kiss, trying to get an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to him. Megan had felt pretty awkward about it, but she couldn't bring herself to say no. They'd had their first real kiss before the movie was even over.

It wasn't like he'd been impolite, really. He'd been so nice, opening every door for her, paying for anything she wanted. He'd even offered to take her shopping next weekend, said he'd buy her some new shoes, any kind she liked.

That didn't change how fast things seemed to move with Brad, though. Megan had never dated a boy who'd been this gentlemanly, yet this eager to get to the next base. Being so close to him, being the sole object of his attention, was hard to refuse, though. Especially when so many people they knew from school were around the theater, the mall. Brad introduced her to a dozen friends of his, and Megan had waved to one friend of hers after another. Everybody knew Megan Donner and Brad Huff were a couple now.

How cool was _that_?

Even cooler was when Brad stopped the Range Rover on some side road and they both hopped in the back to hold hands like they'd done at the movies. Brad had just started talking, explained how scared he'd been when he'd lost his virginity in 7th grade. "I lasted about ten seconds," he added, and laughed.

Megan hadn't been sure what to say. But pretty soon, neither of them was saying anything.

Right now, Brad had his hands all over her, his tongue exploring her mouth. His athlete's bulk weighed Megan down, pressed her against the leather seat. Megan was a little worried. How had she suddenly gotten here? She'd agreed to a date, not exactly to this.

Brad slipped a hand under her shirt, two, slipped her shirt up and over her head.

"Wait," Megan managed to say.

"Wait for what?" Brad laughed, reaching and pulling his own shirt over his head. He turned and threw it over the steering wheel. "Wait for what, babe?"

"I just- I don't know-"

"Babe," Brad soothed her, patting a hand against her cheek. "It's cool. You just leave all this to me. Okay?"

Megan looked at him and felt an exhilarating mix of emotions. He was stunning. Every inch of his upper body was strong, strong, strong. So much muscle, hardened and chiseled to perfection. Flawless six-pack abs. And as Brad reached down, unbuckled his belt, and yanked his shorts and underwear down, Megan realized the stories about how big Brad Huff was hadn't exaggerated.

"Brad, please," Megan managed to say.

"Please what?" Brad asked, starting to sound irritated. He was completely naked now, and it was obvious he was going all-out for what he wanted.

"I don't know-"

"You're not a virgin, are you?" he demanded. "Charlie Jenkins said you've done this before."

"Yeah, but-"

His strong, gentle hands were massaging her thighs. Working on her belt. Sliding her short shorts down to her ankles, then her panties.

"Brad-"

As he went for it, she tried to stop him, but her hands just pressed against the hardened muscle of his chest, then his gorgeous abs.

"Goddamn it," Brad hissed, "I asked _you_ out, Megan. I didn't have to. You seem like a really fun girl, so what the hell's the problem? You realize how this is gonna look?"

"Look?"

"Yeah. Everyone knows I asked you out. What're we gonna tell 'em? That we had a really fun date, or that I didn't get to relax on a Friday night like all the other guys?"

"But-"

"It's not a big deal. You'll enjoy it. Stop fucking teasing me here."

Brad was staring at her, penis in one hand, obviously getting pissed off. He wanted something that Megan was resisting letting him have. And that made Brad unhappy.

Suddenly, Megan realized that there was more at stake here than she'd thought. This wasn't just a date with Brad. It was a date with a boy so popular, so hot, so influential, that he could make or ruin her popularity at Iroquois High. If he got rejected now, he'd take it all personally. He could tell everyone she treated him badly, and that she wasn't fun to be around. If Brad Huff declared you were not fun to be around, it was over. Done with.

Megan didn't want her popularity ruined. She wanted more of it, not less. Accepting a date with Brad and then rejecting him… he'd never let that go. Not ever. Megan would never live it down. She'd be "the girl who rejected Brad Huff, the hottest guy in school."

_Or you can be one of the lucky girls who actually got to have sex with Brad Huff. And on the first date! It's up to you._

Megan still wasn't sure, as much as her mind wanted to rationalize it. She froze up and couldn't decide. Brad went ahead and unclasped her bra, entered her, and lay his bulky, muscular frame down on top of her as he started.

"Brad," Megan said. She'd meant it as a final protest. It came out almost as a moan.

**XX**

Brad was just getting to the best part of Round Three when a wave of ecstasy hit him. He practically collapsed on top of Megan as he came. Oh, God. He needed a minute. This had been more intense than his workout.

"Wow," Brad managed to say. He chuckled, kissed her sweaty collarbone. "That was amazing."

"How are you so good at this?" she asked, clearly amazed. She'd moaned and cried out a lot, and clearly Brad was the best Megan had ever had. That was unsurprising. It was about the only way girls had _ever_ reacted to him afterwards. Brad was _always_ the best they'd ever had.

The auburn-haired teen pulled out and sat up on a free space on the leather seat, which felt cool and pleasant. _Damn_, he looked good. It wasn't like Brad was overly fond of himself or anything. His high opinion of himself was fully justified.

Megan started to say something, but just then Brad's phone started going off. He reached for his shorts, dug into one pocket, took the phone out and flipped it open. "Hello?" he asked, just as cool as you please.

"Brad," Danny said, "Mom found my- she found some of my porn, okay? It's bullshit, and she's talking to Dad about it, and they're just- they're freakin' out."

_Christ. All right. Calm him down, gotta start there_.

"Hey, Danny, it's cool, man. Everything's cool."

"No, it's not!" Danny almost yelled. "I am _so_ grounded! They're gonna search my room and find everything else! I am _so_ fucked, man!"

"Just stay cool, dude," Brad soothed him. "Easy. I'll be home soon. Twenty minutes at the most."

"Hurry," Danny said. He started to say something else, but Mom interrupted him.

"Daniel! You come in here and- get off the phone!"

"I was talking to Brad!" Danny shouted in outrage.

"I'll be home soon! Don't do anything until I get there!" Brad yelled suddenly at the phone. The line went dead.

"What was that?" Megan asked, looking at him with concern. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine," Brad replied immediately. He was already planning on giving it maybe a month, maybe six weeks, then ditching this chick. She seemed like she might be the clingy type, and Brad had mostly wanted to show off for his friends and get laid. The last thing Brad wanted was her getting involved in any of his real, serious problems.

"Do you have to go home?" she asked.

"Yeah," Brad answered. "Alright, get dressed. I'll drive you home."

"You were amazing," Megan said, almost reassuringly.

"I know, babe. I know."

**XX**

Brad even impressed himself with how quickly he dropped his new girl off at her house and got back to the Huff address on Oak Ridge Lane. He'd said twenty minutes, but pulled it off in eighteen.

There was no time to be smug about that, though. The kid brother was in trouble and that demanded serious attention. Brad parked at the curb, hurried up to the front door, unlocked it and almost walked into Danny shouting at Mom and Dad in the entrance parlor.

"It's my room! I'm not a little kid! I don't have to tell you everything about it, every second of the day anymore! I just want some space!"

"You will not take that tone with me, Daniel! You are not allowed to keep anything you want in that room. You do not live under your own roof yet."

"Maybe I wish I did!"

"Daniel," Dad said in an icy voice, "you are a Huff. Maybe boys shout at their parents in other households, but not in this one. You will speak to your mother politely."

Danny took in a breath and was about to yell some more, but just then Brad closed the door and everyone noticed him.

"Bradley," Mom said, looking a little startled. "We didn't hear you come in."

"Danny told me there was some kind of problem," Brad said. "Something about some National Geographic magazines under his bed?"

"They were not National Geographic," Mom replied. "Daniel, is that what you told him?"

"No," Danny answered, his hands balled into fists at his sides. "I said I was in trouble."

"Well, you most certainly are."

"Mom, he's in high school now," Brad said reasonably. "He's just curious. He's a teenage kid and he wants to know about girls."

"Bradley, this is not about that."

"Mom, it's normal. I don't blame you for not liking it but Danny's not doing anything his friends aren't doing."

"Well, maybe we should have sent you boys to boarding school," Mom sniffed. "Public school has made your brother think he can act like just another teenager, and not like a Huff."

Danny was so angry he was starting to cry. He opened his mouth and took in a breath, but Brad saw his brother was about to lose it and did the only thing he could think of to head that off. He crossed the distance between them, knelt, and wrapped both arms around Danny, pulling him into a hug.

"It's all cool, man. I told you."

"Leggome," Danny grunted, but he said it without any force.

"I love you, Danny."

"Whatever," Danny grumbled. Obsessed with trying to be like Brad, he didn't like admitting to having affection for close relatives, especially not in front of his parents.

Brad gently patted his brother on the back, then let him go and stood up and looked at his parents. "Mom, I apologize for Danny's behavior. Don't blame him. I'm responsible. I said he should be standing up for himself more."

"You said that to him?" Dad asked curiously.

"Yes, Dad. Only way for him to earn the respect of the older guys on the football and wrestling teams is if he tells them to fuck off once in a while."

"Bradley!" Mom exclaimed, but Dad laughed.

"So where'd the magazines go?" Brad asked. "I'd like to get rid of 'em myself. You're right, Mom, that stuff doesn't belong in this house."

Mom, Dad and Danny all looked surprised to hear that.

"They were in the kitchen trashcan," Mom said. "Danny kept trying to get them out."

Brad gave his mother a little bow, headed for the kitchen, and since the bag was fairly full already, he took it out in full view of everyone, tied it up, walked out the back door and tossed it in the trash can.

"There we go," Brad announced.

"Daniel, go upstairs," Mom said. "We'll… discuss this further tomorrow."

Danny, who had stared with disbelief at Brad from the moment he'd suddenly agreed to get rid of the magazines, shot Brad a look of hurt and anger, but said "Yes, Mom," and headed upstairs.

"Brad, come sit in the living room with us for a while and let's talk about it. I am impressed with how you handled yourself."

"Sure, Dad. Sounds great."

**XX**

Over an hour later, Brad was finally done doing damage control, at least for now.

He had largely been successful. Danny was still going to be grounded in some capacity. Shouting like that just could not be allowed to go unpunished. It was the kind of thing that could tarnish the Huff name, Dad said, and Mom emphatically agreed. Brad did, too, after a fashion. He was immensely proud of belonging to something special, being part of a family that had traditions, an identity all its own. He was proud of being a somebody, especially with all the nobodies he had to put up with at school.

So even if he couldn't get Danny off scot-free, at least Brad had managed to do a lot to pull him out of the hole the kid brother had been so busy digging. Great guy, and Brad loved him to death, but sometimes he could be dumb and short-sighted like you wouldn't believe.

Well, Brad could believe. He could absolutely believe. He'd been stuck with the little dude since Danny had come home wrapped in a hospital blanket. Danny had complained a lot back then, too!

Mom and Dad had listened to Brad's comments and suggestions, and treated what he had to say with respect. The fact that Brad took advantage of this to state half-truths, blatant lies, and generally do whatever it took to cover for Danny and get him out of trouble didn't bother Brad at all. He loved Danny and his parents, but had an obligation to be a good brother and help Danny make the best of his four years in high school.

But having calmed one side of this argument, Brad now needed to go talk to the other. He headed upstairs, figuring Danny would still be up. The door to his room was closed, but when Brad knocked, he got a sullen "Go away."

"I just wanna talk."

"I said _go away_!"

Brad opened the door, and Danny rolled over in his bed. He'd already undressed, and Brad was briefly impressed at the amount of muscle he'd put on since 8th grade alone. Thanks to some generous tutoring from the guys, Danny and his growing circle of friends had been doing some serious weight-lifting this year.

"Thanks back there," Danny hissed furiously. "You were a big help."

In spite of himself, the auburn-haired teen laughed. "Dude, that was all a big show. I calmed you down, calmed them down- just damage control. I'll have new mags for you tomorrow."

"I'm gonna be fucking grounded until 2004!"

"Probably just until next week, maybe even just the weekend."

Danny sat up. "Seriously?"

"Yep."

It took Danny a few moments to process that. He crossed his muscular arms over his chest. "Then how about keeping them outta my room?"

"Just be smarter about hiding your shit, man. I can't really stop Mom and Dad from being in here sometimes."

"I want-"

"I'll do what I can," Brad promised, holding up a hand. "But don't worry, I'll help you clean your room this weekend and we'll find a better hiding spot. Seriously, man, under the bed is not that original."

"That's where you said-"

"Okay, well, don't worry about it."

Danny pouted some more, but then shrugged it off. "So… how'd your date go?"

"I got laid. She was kind of a bitch about it at first, though."

"Did you remember to wear your condoms, Bradley?" Danny asked sarcastically, doing a pretty hilarious reputation of Mom.

Brad's face suddenly felt very hot, and he was glad the room was dark. He'd completely forgotten to wear anything.

_Well, if that bitch gets fucking pregnant I'll drop her so fast she won't even know what fucking happened_! Brad thought fiercely. _See how she likes it, trying to turn _me_ down!_

"Dude?" Danny asked, looking concerned.

"Nah, man, she's on the pill, though," Brad lied impulsively. He actually had no idea if that slut was or not, but he sure hoped she was. Mostly for her sake, not for his.

"Those really work?"

"Sure. Mom didn't find your fucking condom supply, did she?"

"No. I grabbed the box and stuck it in your dresser."

Brad stared. "You did _what_?"

"Oh, please. Don't even get mad at me. Now go away before you wake Captain Jingles up."

What a ridiculous name for a guinea pig. The oversized rodent was spoiled, lazy, and a lot of fun to have around. Just like Danny. The two were such a perfect match for each other.

Brad decided to go, but not before he got the last word. He went over, yanked the covers off Danny, and embraced him while he squirmed and desperately tried to cover himself.

"You- you asshole!" Danny exclaimed.

"Just remember I love you, little brother."

"Mmf," Danny said.

When Brad let go, his younger brother was wrapped up in the blankets so only his head could be seen. He'd been fond of doing that all his life, and there was still some of the little kid left in him.

"So everything's good, all right?"

"Sure," Danny said. "I guess so." He paused. "You're always in such a great mood after you get laid."

"Amazing what twenty-four-seven access to fine pussy will do."

Danny laughed. "You cocky motherfucker."

"Yeah, yeah. And you wanna be just like me."

"Who doesn't wanna be Brad Huff?" Danny retorted.

"Nobody worth knowing, Danny. Nobody." With that, Brad bowed, stepped out, closed the door behind him and headed off to his own room.

Everything was going just like Brad wanted right now. He'd never known and could never imagine the world working any other way.

* * *

**XX**

**A/N: 12-9-2018. Posted 2-16-2019.**

**The following is text from a PM I received from calgabriel on 7-17-2018:**

"**Yes, certainly, he can be both caring and callous. Brad Huff changes his behavior depending on who he is around. We all do, to an extent, but in Brad's case, it's a little more intense if his behavior is hostile and demeaning around those he considers inferior. We've gone over it before, but Brad is the way he is largely due to the circumstances he was born into. It's not too late for him to change certain behaviors because he's in a crucial stage of development; he's not too far gone.**

**There's this scene from "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" (not sure if you've ever seen the show) where a character, Dennis (these characters were created with the intent to comically depict the worst aspects of society, so they're awful people for the most part), talks about how he plans on inviting some intoxicated girls onto his boat to fool around with and he says that it's not possible for them to refuse him because of the "implication". The girls would be on a boat with a stranger, all they'd see is open ocean and there's nowhere for them to run. Dennis goes on to say that if the girl said no then, of course, he'd take no for an answer, but she never will say no, again, because of… the "implication". The implication being that if she says no, things could go very wrong for her. Even if Dennis wouldn't actually harm her if she refused, she'd be under the impression that he will and so she'll sleep with him out of fear.**

**That's similar to what I think could happen with Brad. If a girl finds herself alone with him, the influential, popular, top-athlete Brad Huff, not only could he assume that the girl immediately finds him attractive and wants to have sex with him, but he knows he could easily tarnish the girl's reputation if she refused him, and even if he won't, that fear would be present in her head."**

**The above inspired this story, and is the source of the title.**


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